More doctors arrive in Meadow Lake

At least, that’s the diagnosis made by Prairie North Regional Health Authority officials following recent confirmation three new doctors will begin practising at both the Meadow Lake hospital and the downtown Meadow Lake Associate Clinic later this year.

Two of the new doctors, Dr. Stephen Loden and Dr. Aimee Siguin, are recent medical school graduates and will begin Sept. 1. Dr. Jolene Titus, who is scheduled to start here in early August, is originally from South Africa. Meanwhile, a fourth physician, Dr. Sandi Funk, began seeing patients in early June.

“We’re very pleased to know we’ll have the physician complement increased for Meadow Lake,” remarked Glennys Uzelman, vice-president of primary health services with the PNRHA. “Of course, over the summer, some of our physicians will be taking time off to be with their families, so things will still be a little tenacious for a while as far as access goes. But, we will have the ER covered and we’ll be able to keep the clinic going.”

Come the fall, Meadow Lake will be served by a total of 14 doctors who will also address the medical needs of patients from the RM of Meadow Lake, Flying Dust First Nation and other surrounding areas. Uzelman was quick to point out, however, some of these doctors work part-time while there has been talk of one or two physicians moving on from their current roles.

“The come-and-go is quite constant,” she said. “The challenge in attracting doctors to the community is the ability of their spouses or partners to find suitable work for themselves.”